Fledglings
by Sutoriitoenzeru-Street Angel
Summary: Deaths and other wartime events leave behind a few broken wings but sometimes the mental scars are too deep to reach with magic. What kind of miracle will it take to pull two broken boys back into the light? Why Severus Snape of course...HPSSDM
1. The Problems

**Title: Fledglings**

**Summary: **Deaths and other wartime events leave behind a few broken wings but sometimes the mental scars are too deep to reach with magic. What kind of miracle will it take to pull two broken boys back into the light? Why Severus Snape of course...HPSSDM

**Rating: M (Due to mentions of rape, possibly drugs and possible future circumstances)**

**Status: 1 chapter written, 1 chapter posted**

**Review count: 0**

**Pairings: Severus x Draco x Harry **

**Notes: Slash, rape and character death. If any of this upsets you or offends you...I suggest you click the back button now.**

Harry Potter:

Condemned by the relatives of people he wasn't able to save, blames himself for the deaths of his godfather; Sirius Black, Albus Dumbledore and Remus Lupin. He has no remaining links to his parent's friends since he murdered Peter Pettigrew. Defeated Voldemort but lost the sight in his left eye due to a stray curse. Believes himself to be a dangerous monster that should never be around humans, will no longer talk to Hermione Granger or Ronald Weasley. Whereabouts unknown.

Draco Malfoy:

After failing to kill Albus Dumbledore was tortured with the Cruiciatus curse and forced to undergo other humiliations. At the time of the final battle, at the final Death Eater fortress (Riddle Manner) was rapped and beaten by a still unknown number of Death Eaters. No longer talks, only whimpers and screams during continuous, reoccurring nightmares. Has become hyper sensitive and self-aware, cannot stand to be touched and is now anorexic. Has now been released to the care of his mother, ex-medi-witch Narcissa Malfoy.

Severus Snape:

Tortured for stepping in for Draco Malfoy, almost killed. Whipped and tortured, has been left with numerous physical scars. Tormented by the fact that he could not save Draco Malfoy or Albus Dumbledore. Has become a recluse and has no been seen for months. Although scans show that he is at Spinner's end and has been there since Draco Malfoy was released from Saint Mungos to Malfoy manor.

They've all got problems; broken and destroyed by a war that brought more sorrow than before it started. The best medi-witches and wizards in the country have done everything they can, the only loyal friends they had saw to that. But there was nothing they could do because they refused to be helped.

However, all hope was not lost when two women, Narcissa Malfoy and Hermione Weasley came to the same conclusion. Misery loves company. 

---

**I have no intention of continuing past this point for the time being. I just really want to known how people responded to this. If you think that begging for reviews is a pathetic reason to write then you can shut up. I write because I want to, I post because I want to know what people think so I will damn well ask people to REVIEW.**

**so REVIEW please and thank-you.**


	2. The Circumstances

**Title: Fledglings**

**Summary: **Deaths and other wartime events leave behind a few broken wings but sometimes the mental scars are too deep to reach with magic. What kind of miracle will it take to pull two broken boys back into the light? Why Severus Snape of course...HPSSDM

**Rating: M (Due to mentions of rape, possibly drugs and possible future circumstances)**

**Status: 2 chapter written, 2 chapter posted**

**Review count: 3**

fragonknight01 - The whole point of the author note was to avoid saying, 'did you like it?' 'do you want more?' etc because then people would tell me that reviews are not a reason to write. I just wanted to skip over that problem since it is one that I have experienced in the past. On a happier note, I'm glad you find my story interesting.

Rhiannona - To be honest, I didn't want to know what people though before posting more of this story, it was more about getting this story out in the open so I could concentrate on my other fics. The response was just the bonus. Anyway, the story is definitely going to be slash but there won't be any seduction and possibly no love. It's more of a last lifeline kind of story. So don't worry about the slash too much. I wanted this story to be open to as wide a variety of readers as possible without loosing the backbone of the story (being the depressed attitudes of the characters). So yeh, read on.

RC Tanoshii - To be honest I wanted it to come across as a hospital analysis and therefore the list style was crucial. I don't know if they're believable but thank-you anyway. I've seen a lot of fics where Voldemort is randomly dead and romance blossoms. I mean, even if Harry has got the power of a prophecy it's not like fanatical Death Eaters would just drop before the Ministry in the wake of Voldemorts death. Did the Nazi's drop before Hitler? I think not! Anyway, I shall have fun and enjoy this chapter...even though not a lot happens.

aloveablegimp - Well I continued and guess what. I updated half an hour after your review.

**Pairings: Severus x Draco x Harry **

**Notes: Chapter length depends on how I'm feeling at the time and what I want to write. Therefore they will not be uniform.**

Ginny looked up at her brother over a steaming mug of coffee, her eyes red and swollen. Ron's heart tugged. "A year, a year Ron and not a word, oh where is he?"

Ron looked down at his hands that splayed out on the table to top, palm down. "I don't know Gin," he shook his head sadly, "I just don't know."

"If Harry wanted to be found we'd know it," Hermione said solemnly walking in.

"But what if he's done something stupid like drunk himself into a heart attack, Arvada Kedavra 'd himself into oblivion or worse?" Ginny moaned, folding her arms and resting her head in them.

"We can only hope that Harry has more sense than that," Hermione replied gently, sitting down next to the smaller girl and putting an arm round her.

"Wouldn't be hard for him though," Ron said, continuing despite his wife's glare and Ginny's muffled sobs, "he never could hold his liquor."

"Can we please stop referring to Harry as though he were already buried, he left us alive and we have no reason to believe is otherwise," Hermione reasoned.

Ginny pulled her face up, "We have no reason to believe otherwise either."

---Malfoy Manor---

Narcissa looked forlornly at a picture of herself and Lucius and Draco. Draco had just received his letter for Hogwarts and although she and her husband had known he would the half smile that Lucius had granted the boy was enough. Draco jumped up and down before her eyes, eyes bright, mouth grinning, for once not set with that stoic smirk he and his father seemed to share. Nothing like he was now.

And Lucius, the handsome and devilish Slytherin that she had found herself drawn to. Andromeda had held her back and Bellatrix had not trusted him but her raven-haired eldest sister trusted very few. Although she had, on occasion been right. Narcissa had been wrong to believe in Severus' loyalty to the Lord to whom she had pledge allegiance under coercion from her husband. Abandoning her role as a medi-witch to serve him.

However, she had not been wrong to trust Severus in her son's care, she knew he had tried his best that night when Draco was broken but nothing could change the past. It would only create recurrences that would be much more painful.

She replaced the picture in it's original standing and ascended a flight of stairs and coming to rest in front of a large ebony door.

She knocked but received no answer and instead pushed the door open. It did not creak, Malfoy doors did not creak, but Narcissa almost wished it would. There was no sound and as she looked she could see Draco sprawled out atop his covers. Shirt undone and pants creased. His ribs caused his shallow skin, pale and drawn, to stretch. Large bags surrounded his eyes and his hair once a radiant halo about his head had lost its shine. The only reason it wasn't greasy was because Narcissa herself had seen fit to bath him as though he could not move himself.

He had not eaten in days and never seemed to sleep, she was pushed away when she tried to console his nightmares. She was without a husband, without a profession and worried over her only remaining value that she feared would soon be lost.

"Draco, darling, are you sure you wouldn't like to eat?"

As always she received no reply, he no longer even spared her glance. It's blank and solid eyes starring fixedly at the ceiling.

Tears pricked at her eyes, "Draco please talk to me, you haven't said a word to me, or anyone. Please Draco, just so I know you're still with me. I can't go on without you Draco, please, talk to me, let me help." She fell to her knees at the side of his bed and sobbed, looking at him desperately but he did nothing, not even twitch.

A manicured hand came to wipe the tears away in frustration at both the behaviour of her son and her own. Standing abruptly she twirled and strode out. Not until the door had closed behind her did Draco mouth the words 'I'm sorry.' Unable to speak due to months as a mute, his throat hurt every time he tried so he gave up.

---Spinners End---

It bubbled and gurgled loudly on a small flame, Severus Snape sat back to wait the ten hours before it was ready. He gave a sigh as his mind began to wander back into memories from just over a year ago.

--Flashback---

Draco lay curled up in the arms of his potions master, the dark silk sheets spilling about his, contrasting sharply with his pale skin and blonder than blonde hair. "Why did you do it Sev?" he asked tracing a finger over a white scar left from the beating the older man had received after killing Dumbledore.

_"I'd rather face the Dark Lord's wrath and see you alive for my mistake than see you dead for your failure," Severus replied, his voice as dark and silken as his sheets. Draco shivered. _

_"But you would have died wouldn't you, if you hadn't I mean?" Draco asked raising himself to lay half on top of the dark haired man. _

_Intense black eyes focused on a blue tinted grey, the colour of the sky after the storm. "Yes," was the truthful reply. _

_"So you did it to save your own skin, admit it Sev, we weren't us then," Draco reasoned. _

_Severus traced the outlines of the angular face with the tips of his long fingers, "That did not lessen my desire." _

_"Promise you'll always protect me Sev," Draco said suddenly, his eyes pleading. _

_"But I have already made the unbreakable vow with your mother, I swore to protect you." _

_"You swore as my godfather, you swore as a favour to my father and don't play dumb with me Severus, I know of your past with my father," Severus looked ashamed. Draco smiled, "Don't worry Severus, you don't need to tell me I am not his replacement, he loved my mother, I love you, there is no competition." Draco paused for a moment, "But now I want you to promise again, to promise me, as my lover and as my friend." _

"Then I promise you Draco, as your lover and your friend to always protect you.

---End Flashback---

That scene plagued constantly at the conscience of the ex-Hogwarts Professor. He had not seen fit to return, neither had Minerva invited him back, even after his final turn and his final decision to side for the light and the bringing of the Malfoy's and a few others with him. The one thing that had haunted him for a year, the one thing that would forever torment him where the last words he, and to his knowledge, anyone had heard Draco speak.

'_You broke your promise Sev…you weren't there to protect me this time_.'

He'd lost him, Draco had been broken. He'd seen the look in Narcissa's eyes at the state of his son, Draco blamed him, he'd failed his godson, the son of a previous lover, he'd failed Narcissa, he'd failed himself. He blamed himself for what Narcissa must be feeling, what Draco was feeling and what was worse, he could do nothing about it.

The boy wouldn't let anyone near him. Severus had once had a fleeting thought of Harry Potter, the one boy Draco had expressed interest in ever since he had met him on the train in his first year. He'd searched, he'd contacted the ever growing Weasley's which now included she who had been Hermione Granger, but there was no sign of the boy.

Only the Quibbler carried word of Harry Potter anymore, Luna Lovegood seemed to be the only one still trying to contact him through the press, questioning his whereabouts and when he was planning on returning.

Severus looked up at the clock, only nine more hours to go, by the time his anti-depressant potion was ready he'd be well under the sea and self-punishment.

---…---

Gloved hands held the paper steady as a pair of brilliant eyes scanned over and through it. "You're the only one looking Luna," he muttered. He swallowed hard, "But then you always were one for searching for things only you could see." 

---

**I liked this chapter...I don't know why I just think I wrote it rather well. Anyway...new system. I have five stories on the go at the moment and here they are in a lovely list...**

**Light in the Shadow  
Father Mine  
Vacancy  
Fledglings  
Of Power and Opposition**

**As part of my 'Get people to read my fics' scheme and 'I must finish my stories' plan I'm going to let whoever is reading this and reviewing it pick which one I update next. Of course, you're not allowed to pick the one and the sooner you pick, the sooner I can focus, the sooner I can post and the sooner you can ask me to update this one. Fair? I think so.**

**SO VOTE NOW**


	3. The Finding

**Title: Fledglings**

**Summary: **Deaths and other wartime events leave behind a few broken wings but sometimes the mental scars are too deep to reach with magic. What kind of miracle will it take to pull two broken boys back into the light? Why Severus Snape of course...HPSSDM

**Rating: M (Due to mentions of rape, possibly drugs and possible future circumstances)**

**Status: 3 chapters written, 3 chapters posted**

**Review count: 19 (Wow...15 reviews...sweet)**

anonymous - I have

ra - Well you can read this and then wait some more

Cher - Yeh

Sorrows - I shall bear that in mind

sbkar - No I don't, I imagine for myself, write to post and post for responses, I see nothing wrong with this approach. I think 'Dark fic' is a pathetic warning that varies too much on the individual definition of dark therefore I won't use it. Yes my writing is angry...a) Because I am not happy right now and b) because the characters aren't happy right now

SolitaryPoison - I have done so

RC Tanoshii - It isn't actually a hospital analysis but I didn't want it to seem like a profile either...I needed it to sound attached and adding an address, even made up, would become far to technical. I hope I kept them in character...I based Ron's reaction on his behaviour in the 4th book. And as for your question, one needs the other...eventually it'll be a threesome but it starts out as a triangle. Draco wants Harry, Harry wants Snape, Snape wants Draco

weasie37 - I don't intend to save them, they can do it themselves

fudgebaby - Enjoy

Crazy - I can write whenever I want, wanting to is another matter

skyash - They're two and half pages long as it is...my average. What would you prefer and essay?

Ausha Black - You are not the first to think so, and I updated

myniephoenix - Bugger that idea

oracle - Then you can be happy

**Pairings: Severus x Draco x Harry **

**Notes: Lots of italics in this chapter?**

---Period before the Final War, after the search for the Horcruxes---

_"You have to tell him Harry, you may not get the chance after tonight. We're ready for war Harry, he leaves tomorrow, would you rather risk him dieing ignorant?" Hermione asked._

_They were at Grimmauld Place, the Weasley's sound asleep upstairs and a handful of others, she and Harry were curled up on chairs near the dieing fire, light from the half moon outside spilling in through the window._

_"Why should it matter to him? He has no eyes for me Hermione, why burden him?" Harry argued, refusing to look up and meet her eyes._

_Hermione gave a heavy sigh, "But Harry," her eyes filled with tears, "What if you never get a chance to tell him, by no ill occurrences to him?"_

_"You mean if I die don't you Hermione?" she nodded. "If he doesn't know that won't hurt him, not that he'd care anyway."_

_"You don't know that!"_

_"Neither do you," he replied. Glimmering emerald eyes looked up at her, both of them. A fire burning in them._

_"Harry, I implore you, tell him or you'll regret it," Hermione reasoned._

_"Why would I, it's not the first time. Everyone I think I like either dies, drifts away or is interested in someone else. No more Hermione, no more," Harry finished resolutely._

_"How do you know he doesn't feel the same," Hermione continued on bravely._

_"Because he's screwing Draco Malfoy into the ground, that's how Hermione," Harry spat._

_Hermione opened her mouth to retaliate but was interrupted, "That's rather a crude way of putting it Mr Potter." Both jumped and looked up to see a slightly disgruntled looking Professor Severus Snape standing in the doorway. He turned to look at Hermione, "Miss Granger I suggest you go and get some sleep, you will be needed early tomorrow."_

_Hermione nodded and left, her eyes were beginning to itch anyway and Harry needed time alone with Snape if Harry would get over himself._

_"You heard every word," Harry said before the potions master had so much as opened his mouth, "I heard you in the hallway." Severus Snape stood leaning with folded arms against the doorway for a moment, silent and still. "Well?" Unable to resist temptation any longer Harry turned to look at his professor._

_Dark hair spilled over his shoulders, a long hooked nose prominent and deep, dark eyes glittered in the firelight. "Well what Mr Potter?"_

_"Surely you must have something to say?" Harry demanded, his eyes narrowed._

_"Should I?" Harry fell silent as the dark haired man glided over to the seat Hermione had previously occupied._

_"I would be disappointed if you didn't," Harry replied._

_"Then you shall have to go unsatisfied Mr Potter," Snape replied. Harry looked crushed and hurt for a moment before stealing his face into anger._

_"You're a bastard," he spat._

_"Undoubtedly," Snape replied. There was a silence. "If you have nothing more to say Mr Potter then I will return to my bed, after all, as Miss Granger rightly stated, I leave tomorrow."_

_Snape got up to leave and had reached the doorway before Harry's hesitant voice reached him, "Tell me Severus Snape, if you had not been with Malfoy would you have had me?"_

_"Perhaps."_

---End flashback---

Harry leaned back and sighed heavily, those were the last words he remembered sharing with Snape…not that he hadn't seen the man but he had not spoken with him. The doorbell sounded and Harry stood, walking over to open the door. Standing before him was a small girl, fifteen at best; she went to the local school and worked at the post office on weekends, Nadia or something.

"Mail for you Mr Potter sir," she said quietly holding up a yellow envelope, Harry gaped at it. "First for you isn't it sir?" she asked looking at him with startling sapphire eyes from under long lashes.

"Yes," Harry replied slowly, reaching out and taking the letter in a shaking hand.

Nadia noticed, "Are you alright sir," she glanced towards his hand and then up to his face, "can I get you anything?"

"No Nadia, I'll be fine," Harry replied, he recognised the script on the envelope and it positively hummed in his hand, buzzing with magic.

"Well if you sure sir," she smiled at him like he was just a normal, happy person. "You can always call or something if you do." With one final grin she bounded off.

As soon as she was far away enough not to be offended he slammed the door shut and sunk against it. He tore the enveloped open, discarding it to the floor and unfolded the letter.

_Dear Harry,_

_As I'm sure you've realised I have placed tracking and detection spells upon this letter. Once you've opened I will know exactly where you are and how to find you. If you move I'll find you again Harry…there is something that we need to talk to you about. Don't worry, I haven't told Ron or Ginny or anyone about this, I think if I had and this hadn't worked…it would have broken their hearts. They miss you terribly Harry, as do I._

_I know why you've been hiding and more importantly, who you've been hiding from. As soon as I am informed that you have received this letter I will be coming to see you, day or night._

_Love, one of your best friends_

_Hermione Weasley (I'm still not used to signing that)_

"Hello Harry."

Harry whipped around to see Hermione standing there before him. Her brown hair, now soft and curly fell neatly over her shoulders and down her back. Deep, brown eyes looked at him and he looked at her with the one good eye he had left.

"Hermione," the name was foreign on his lips. He'd no reason to talk of his past to anyone.

She looked around, "This is a nice place Harry, clean to," she eyed him.

"What did you expect Hermione?" Harry asked stiffly, "Empty beer bottles? Not every depressed male is the epitome of disgusting."

Hermione laughed, "No, but most of them are."

"Are you going to tread eggshells around me all day Hermione or will you get to the point?" Hermione looked affronted. "I know you well Hermione, you'll have known those tracking spells for a long time and you know me well enough to respect my privacy. What grand scheme has your ever expanding mind concocted now?"

To say Hermione was shocked was an understatement, Harry had grown up with his them, without her. He'd left she and Ron and everyone he had known behind and become a man within the space of a year. He grew up to fast.

She couldn't stop herself, she crossed the room over to him in two great strides and threw herself onto him, hugging him for all she was worth and praying that he wouldn't vanish again, she didn't like being left behind.

---Flashback---

_Ron and Hermione were sat together at Grimmauld Place curled up together when Remus Lupin popped his tired and greying head into the room. "Ron, would you mind giving me a hand? I need some help collection some supplies."_

_"Sure Professor Lupin," Ron replied, carefully extracting himself from Hermione who groggily opened her eyes._

_"Ron?"_

_"Don't worry Hermione, I'll be back shortly, just gunna go and get some supplies, Lupin'll need help caring them back," Ron grinned at her and she merely blinked. _

_She had drifted back to sleep a moment later and suddenly, in her unconscious state, she realised that Lupin wouldn't need help, there were shrinking jobs to do that for him. She'd jumped her feet, staggered about herself, waking Ginny in her haste. There was no one in the house but them and Mrs Weasley who insisted, with a pale face, that he boys had really just gone out for some supplies._

_Moments later Lupin, Harry, Ron and several other members of the order had staggered in dripping blood and dirt. Hermione had been worried sick and furious at the same time, which had led to her not being able to concentrate properly which only angered her more._

_Ron had told her later that he hadn't wanted her to get hurt and she had replied that she was more hurt about being left behind with the thought of never seeing him again and there having been nothing she could do than by going to fight._

---End Flashback---

---

**Abandoned random system since it didn't seem to work. I am not happy therefore I shall write the non-happy fic. Yay for me. No longer want to finish Light in the Shadow or Vacancy so it would be a pointless endeavor to try and continue with those. Cannot continue Father Mine since my copy of The Chamber of Secrets is currently locked up at school and have not the drive to continue Of Power and Opposition.**


	4. The Proposal

**Title: Fledglings**

**Summary: **Deaths and other wartime events leave behind a few broken wings but sometimes the mental scars are too deep to reach with magic. What kind of miracle will it take to pull two broken boys back into the light? Why Severus Snape of course...HPSSDM

**Rating: M (Due to mentions of rape, possibly drugs and possible future circumstances)**

**Status: 3 chapters written, 3 chapters posted**

**Review count: 20 (1 It's pathetic really...and you people wonder why I take so long to update)**

myniephoenix - Soon enough poor toi?

**Pairings: Severus x Draco x Harry **

**Notes: Pointless chapter...I got bored**

A pale hand clutched a midnight blue cloak tighter about a tall and slim body. A shiver passed through Narcissa Malfoy as she reached up to knock on the door of one Severus Snape. At one point in her life the thought of being surrounded by over a dozen muggle houses infested with mudbloods would have disgusted her to no end, but now was different. Now, her son was in a state of conscious coma. A contradiction of terms, she knew, but a more accurate way to describe it then what others had been known to say.

There was no response, not even a sound from within the house to show that anyone was inside. Narcissa heaved a sigh and banged on the door once more, "Severus Snape, I know you're in there."

She waited a moment more, "If you don't open up I will blast through this door and I don't care who sees."

There was a thundering of feet on stairs and suddenly the door was wrenched open, yellow light contrasting with the sickly blue of the infrequent street lamps. Narcissa, had she not have been raised to show no fear, would have cringed at the storm that played in the eyes of the potion's master. "Severus…"

"Yes," he snapped, she flinched, "say your piece Narcissa or leave, I have potions to brew."

"And yet nothing to brew them for," she saw the flash of shock, no matter how much he wished she didn't. "May I come in?"

"No."

"Then we shall talk here," she said it as though she was in control of the situation, far from it. She would not risk using magic here, despite her threats, and he was perfectly capable of slamming the door in her face. "It's about Draco."

She saw the muscles in his face contract, his ears pulled back slightly like that of an angered or frightened cat, and true to form Severus had the grace of one.

"He hasn't spoken a word to me, I just wanted to ask…you're my last hope Severus…is there anything you can do?" tears pricked at the corners of her eyes and she would be a fool to think he wouldn't notice.

"Short of casting imperio and telling the boy to talk then no, there is nothing I can do," Severus replied, his lip curling in a sneer, "if that is all then I bid you goodnight and farewell," he began to close the door.

Her husband was gone and her son would not speak to her, she had known of her sons trysts with his godfather and their subsequent relationship, she would be damned if she let this chance slip through her fingers. He would not the answer the door for her again. It was a bold move and one, under normal circumstances, she would not have made, like checking a king without looked at all of your opponents possible moves.

She put one foot inside the door and all the strength she possessed, and her will power too, to slam her hand, spread-eagled, onto the door and stopping it dead in it's tracks. Her eyes narrowed. "Don't play me like a fool Severus, I am far from blind. I know very well of your relationship with my son and I will be damned if I walk away tonight without a solution, or at the very least some answers."

"Answers to what?" the contempt was laced in his voice like the venom in the fangs of a poisonous snake. Standing there, with his arms folded, eyeing her through narrowed eyelids, burning eyes focused on her, he did look like a snake ready to kill.

"Why you have made no effort to contact Draco, or even me, or to fix this mess for which I don't blame you but am left to wonder."

"I have no feelings for the boy."

"Denial is more than a river in Egypt Severus, you've known me since we went to school together, you were best man at my wedding, your Draco's godfather, his lover, my husbands previous lover. You know I can see right through you and I can tell you're lying," Narcissa's eyes had narrowed to match his now, her temper had flared.

"I betrayed him Narcissa, I broke my promise, I couldn't protect him when he needed me. He didn't want me anymore and he made that perfectly clear," Severus replied, scowling.

"So you crawled back to this hell hole to wait out the remainder of your life brewing the most complex and time consuming potions you could find to give you temporary relief from your grief and guilt?" Snape nodded. "Well think about what that's done to Draco. You were his friend and confident before you were his lover, you helped raise him and yet you wouldn't try again?"

"I don't make the same mistake twice Narcissa," Severus drawled.

"On a rare occasion I think you do and this is one of them. Had you not thought to try and change his mind, to go to him and attempt to make him see that you had tried your best? I'm not implying that Draco is ignorant, he knows you'd have tried, but for his sake couldn't you have tried harder?"

"I thought you said that I had already tried my best," Severus sneered.

"I don't mean about saving him from his fate Severus, I meant trying to save him from the darkness he is sinking into," Narcissa said through pursed lips.

There was a silence for a moment.

"Harry Potter."

"What?" Narcissa gasped, "What does he have to do with any of this?"

"They were rivals and you Narcissa know full well how thin the line is between love and hate…"

---Flashback---

_"I hate you," she spat at the shoes of Lucius Malfoy, "you're a self righteous git, I don't know what everyone sees in you. Your nothing but dirt Malfoy, nothing but dirt."_

_"That's enough 'Cissi," Bellatrix looped an arm round the spirited blonde's shoulders, the scowl on Lucius Malfoy's lips making her wary. Andromeda with dark hair to match Bella's own look shocked at the display. She and Bella knew of Narcissa and Lucius' betrothal and for the moment were thankful that the youngest of the trio was unaware of it._

_"Then I should be inclined to hope that the reasoning dawns on you soon Miss Black," with a mocking bow of his head the fierce aristocrat spun on his polished heel and strode away._

---End Flashback---

"You mean to tell me Draco had a crush on the Potter boy? The ever Gryffindor that foiled the plans of our Lord?" Severus nodded. Narcissa looked scandalised, "You I can agree with, but that half-blooded," Severus coughed, "my apologise Severus, he…why?"

"He knew which buttons to fire Potter up, knew him like a lover would, knew his habits, analysed the way he dressed. Draco is as vigilant as his father. I daresay he is well aware that you would eventually crack and run to me for aid that truly isn't there."

"Are you suggesting that I seek out the Boy-Who-Lived to draw my son back from the brinks of hell?" Narcissa asked, arching a delicate eyebrow.

"That's exactly what I am suggesting."

"And if I were…to decline."

Severus' head snapped up and Narcissa spun sharply, almost toppling over had Severus not put a hand to her back to stop her. There, standing before them, was one Harry Potter, Hermione Granger…sorry…Hermione Weasley clutching at his arm. It looked to Severus as though there had been some side along apparition and Mr Potter had not been the one to lead it.

"And how long have you been listing in on our conversation?" Narcissa sneered, her face contorted in an ugly fashion.

"Mrs Malfoy please," Hermione pleaded, ever the pacifier, "we are all adults here and no longer in school. Should house prejudices and past mistakes take president in our future."

Narcissa reeled, from the rants she had received from Draco she had not expected Hermione Granger to be this well spoken. She was expecting a badly dressed, insolent, full of her self-mudblood, not this; she who held herself with pride, not over confidence, and yet had enough humility to look beyond stereotypes and ill-sounding rumours.

"No they should not," Narcissa replied, "yet that does not explain your un-invited, yet timely, appearance."

"I suppose it doesn't and for the interruption you have our apologise," Hermione replied and Severus noticed that despite his few words at the beginning Harry had not looked away from his shoes. 

---

**Well we have the beginning of the proposal and soon we shall have three depressed people in one place...waves the flag of enthusiasm**


	5. The Reaction

**Title: Fledglings**

**Summary: **Deaths and other wartime events leave behind a few broken wings but sometimes the mental scars are too deep to reach with magic. What kind of miracle will it take to pull two broken boys back into the light? Why Severus Snape of course...HPSSDM

**Rating: M (Due to mentions of rape, possibly drugs and possible future circumstances)**

**Status: 5 chapters written, 5 chapters posted**

**Review count: 24 (4 It's not a record but it's something...thanks people)**

Baroque Isabella - Glad you like, here's the next chapter

Demonchildssister - Good to know and I updated

Ausha Black - Right, okay, thanks

Riku-kun - They won't all be together for a couple more chapters but it's getting there.

**Pairings: Severus x Draco x Harry **

**Notes: It's longer than normal to make up for the wait. Sorry it took so long. I had the first bit written up to 'Spill Hermione' and then from 'Severus' hand clossed...' on to the end of the chapter written but not the bit in-between. Arg...annoying when that happens.**

Severus Snape was currently scowling, he was scowling because he wasn't happy, he wasn't happy because not only had Narcissa 'persuaded' him to let her in but also that insufferable know-it-all Granger (now Weasley he reminded himself) and Harry…no, not Harry, Potter. He glanced up at the dark haired boy; his fingers were laced together with his chin resting on the bridge they formed, his sparkling green eyes gazing into the fire.

Severus glanced back to when he had first seen those eyes, back when he'd met Lily Evans on the train to Hogwarts. She'd been very nice, even bought him sweets, and formed a tentative friendship. But then he was sorted into Slytherin and was handing over to the clutches of Lucius Malfoy who did not approve of the fiery red head.

Time passed, he got older and yet she never lost her fire, the times they had argued, in class or outside of it, the burning passion in those eyes. It had been intriguing and could have become an obsession had Lucius not corrupted him into bending over forwards for him. But Lucius was no longer here and Severus found himself captivated by those eyes once again.

And yet, even though the allele, the gene, the DNA for that configuration of eye colour was the same as Lily's what was held within them was infinitely different. These were the eyes of a boy who could be read like a book, the eyes of a broken doll, a lost innocence, the eyes of man he realised. Not a boy, Harry Potter had ceased being a child some time ago.

Hermione and Narcissa had been talking animatedly in hushed voices but Severus could tell they were gradually getting happier; obviously they were scheming. Hermione may have been in Gryffindor but there was no doubt that she could easily have made Ravenclaw and they liked planning almost as much as Slytherins did.

"Then I think it's a splendid idea," Narcissa declared in a tone that made even Harry's eyes roll around to look at her. She stood up and brushed herself, "Well, I must excuse myself, goodbye Severus, Hermione, Mr Potter." With that she swept out of the room and a feint crack could be heard from outside as she apparated away.

"Spill Hermione," Harry snapped sparing her a sidelong glance, "What grand scheme have you come up with now?"

"Your sarcasm is not appreciated Mr Potter," she replied coolly, Harry's scowl depend as his gaze refocused on the fire which seemed to dip and flare with renewed vigour; as though the boy was pouring his anger into the dancing flames.

"But I'll oblige your request, Narcissa and I have discussed the matter and decided that it would be beneficial for all three of you if you were to go and talk to Draco."

"When did he stop being Malfoy? The bouncing ferret?" Harry asked, his voice level and strangely empty, the calm before a storm.

"Harry that isn't what this is about. He won't talk to Professor Snape," Harry snorted, "what?"

"He's no longer our professor."

"He is however, still in the room and he would appreciate it greatly if you would stop referring to him as though he is a pronoun without a name," Severus drawled flatly, the presence of these two ex-students beginning to infuriate him. With Narcissa there he saw fit to entertain them, but without her presence there was nothing to stop them ordering them out of his house.

Hermione's eyes narrowed and her brow furrowed, "Listen Harry, I'm your friend, or at least, I think I am, and therefore I am concerned as to your welfare. I think, well, Narcissa and I think, you would benefit from talking to someone…who…who was hurting too."

"Oh that's lovely," Harry said sardonically, "Next you'll be suggesting I attend group therapy with Snape over there," Harry jabbed his thumb at the Potion's Master angrily.

"Mr Potter, I will not be disregarded in such a manner in my home," Snape snapped suddenly, his temper flaring. He sensed the row coming between the two and would rather it not occur in his own home.

"I apologise sir," Snape raised an eyebrow, "I'm sorry, it just seems strange to call you Mr Snape and Severus is hardly appropriate," the man's lip curled. "I must go, Ron will be wondering where I am," she stood up and brushed off her robes, "Harry, all I ask is that you consider it. It may help, it may not."

"And pray tell what brought about this conclusion?" Harry drawled, leaning his head back so he was looking at the ceiling. Severus sensed the boys disapproval and the fact that he would not do as asked. Spoilt brat.

"Misery loves company," Hermione replied with an icy tone in response to Harry's negative attitude.

He stood up abruptly and glared at her as she stood, and Severus had to admit that he admired the girl. She was there, jaw set, eyes firm, back straight and head held eye, the posture and look of the finest of the pureblood witches and yet she was nothing of the sort.

"Hermione, I had enough of people who thought they knew best meddling with my life, moulding me into a mindless weapon to be tossed aside after use, I will not take this from you," Harry sneered.

"Is that what you think I'm trying to do Harry? Is that your excuse this time?" Hermione's voice was beginning to rise in pitch and fury.

"Excuse? This time? And what, pray tell, would I be excusing myself from. I served my purpose, I am not obligated to run around healing people just because I'm the boy-who-bloody-lived!"

"I never said you were Harry, it's just one person."

"And If I concede then more will asked."

"No one else has to know," Hermione was near screaming.

"And if it works? Then what do we say, it would look a bit odd if Malfoy suddenly got up and starting talking and prancing around in usual manner."

Hermione heaved a heavy sigh, "Look, Harry, I know it doesn't seem like it now but listen anyway. I'm your friend, I only want what's best for you, I'm only trying to help, I'm not trying to sow seeds of doubt or duty in your mind, I'm just giving you suggestions."

"Who said I needed your help?" Harry spat, "I was fine, I was alive, I have yet to drink myself into oblivion, I'm not obese, I don't smoke, I don't do drugs, I don't take potions, I'm perfectly healthy."

"But not happy."

Hermione looked at Snape, it was the first thing he'd said in a while and she realised it would have more impact than anything she could have said. "Gentlemen," with a quick bow of her head she made for the door.

"That is not for you to judge," Harry sneered at the man before turned after Hermione.

Severus' hand closed around the boys upper arm and spun him around, Hermione turned to look but vanished without a second glance, "Please Potter, do this for me," he begged looking into those emerald orbs that flashed with fiery anger. The eyes Lily had given James when he taunted him, only the anger was directed at him now.

"You have a lot of nerve," Harry sneered, "asking me to do your dirty work, to go on an errand you should have done the day Malfoy was released," Severus gulped and Harry snorted. "Like I would do this for you Snape, I am not your lover and that whimsical school-girl like crush I had on you is gone, destroyed, obliterated."

Harry smirked, wrenching his arm from Snape's grasp as he backed out of the door, pausing on the lawn, Severus watched him.

"Well go on," Harry taunted, "close the door and wallow in your filthy nest of self-pity and loathing. You have reason enough to. No one likes you Snape, not after what you've done. You're a traitor and a failure and a liar and a bastard." There were tears in Harry's eyes now and he hoped that the Potions Master couldn't see them.

"You arrogant, disgusting child, how dare you speak to me in such a manor," Snape near yelled at him, storming out of the comfort of his house and striding imposingly up to the boy. He was unnerved to find Harry and himself at equal height.

"You don't frighten me Snape, not now and not ever. You failed and now the great hero Harry Potter must go and pick up the pieces," his tone had turned sarcastic, "and fail. Just like he did the last time and then everyone will hate him more."

Severus suddenly noticed that the boys gaze was unfocused, his emotions were not dancing in his eyes, Harry was not in control anymore. Severus raised one hand to grip the boy at the shoulder. Gleaming eyes and a harsh, sarcastic laugh answered his motion.

"Why don't you just take him?" it was Harry's voice but not his tone and it sounded scratchy, not quite right. The look in those eyes now was not Harry's, something else, and something Snape didn't recognise.

"Who are you?"

"Does it matter," Harry's body answered, "just throw him down, take him, the boy is weak enough. You can't break him anymore, I'm proof of that."

"Then you're…"

"The part of the boy's soul that cracked off when he killed Tom Riddle, very good Half-Blood Prince very good indeed," the thing smirked. It was Harry, only it wasn't. This was all the hate that Harry had felt for the Dark Lord, all the anger, all the negative emotions that had fuelled him in the battle. The battle he had very nearly lost.

"Bring Harry back," Severus snarled, "and go back to your corner of the boy's mind."

"What ever made you think I was stopping him," fingers came up to brush Snape's cheek, the man flinched and drew away, "he hates you, hence why I'm here. He doesn't want to see you, speak to you, have anything to do with you so I get to play instead."

Snape snarled, he didn't like this Harry, this Harry was like James and Sirius piled into one and a splattering of Tom Riddle and Lucius Malfoy on the side. "Legilimens," he cried before the Harry look alike could stop him. Diving head first into the swirling mass that was Harry's head.

He felt something turning to face him from behind, the conscious part of Harry that was seeking him out, the angry part. Hurrying forward in order to avoid that distraction and look for Harry he encountered a mass of webs. Criss-crossing patterns of thought. Broken, frayed and patches of nothing made up the mind of Harry Potter. A series of intricate designs that Snape would find very hard to navigate had not one been pulsing exceedingly strongly.

Following the direction of the pulses he found himself looking at a boy no more than six. His hair ruffled, his glasses broken and askew, the lightning bolt scar just visible and those brilliant emerald eyes gazing at him innocently.

"Who are you?" the boy's voice echoed slightly and Snape could only stare. This must be another split off of Harry's soul but this hadn't been caused by murder. This had been caused by a trauma. What had happened to Harry at the age of six…had the Dursley's done worse things than he had assumed.

"Are you looking for Harry?" the child spoke again. Suddenly, a rather large black spider climbed up over the boys shoulder and up his neck to his ear. Harry paused and blinked, the spider went away and Harry looked up at him. "I'm sorry, I'm not allowed to talk to you anymore." Then the boy vanished.

However, the being that Severus had been following was still pulsing and he could feel Anger hot on his heals. Pushing himself forward he followed the pulsing light and suddenly encountered a fog. He couldn't see, couldn't hear and realised that the boy was putting him off…so he wasn't completely inept and yet he wasn't being thrown out, merely restrained.

The fog cleared and Snape found himself in something not un-akin to a straight jacket. "What is the meaning of this?"

"All the better for deposing of the trash," Harry was there before him, his Harry, Lily's son, the boy he'd taught, the boy he now had a feint glimmer of respect for.

"Why haven't you told anyone about these presences Potter, they can be disposed of," Severus said looking at the boy intently feeling himself being drawn slowly backwards.

"Whoever said I wanted them gone, I must pay for my sins, they are my punishment and so I must accept it," Harry replied following Severus back the way he had come.

"What are you on about now Potter, what sins?"

"I failed, I failed them Snape, they died and there was nothing I could do to save them. If I had tried harder then maybe it would have been different but no, I had to rush into everything."

"Potter you didn't rush into anything, Voldemort came to you, you had no choice but to fight, you did your best, you even destroyed him. He's gone, you went half way round the British Isles and back to retrieve those Horcruxes and succeeded, you did more than was asked of you. No one can ask for more."

"What?" Severus' motion stopped and Harry was starring at him. There was a hope; an innocence in those eyes now that Severus found himself wishing would always be there.

"You did more than most Harry, you came all this way and came out alive. Many would have been driven insane by the pressure of having a world on their shoulders but not you. You succeeded, conquered, you didn't fail Harry. You did more than what was asked and you couldn't of done it better in the time you had."

Severus swallowed and Harry took a step closer to him, Severus still bound in a straight jacket found himself nose to nose with Harry Potter, meeting him eye to eye.

"As much as it pains me to say it, your parents would have been proud of you Harry…I…I'm proud of you."

There was a lurch, much like the motion of a port key and Severus was back in his own body and now had Harry Potter hugging him tightly about the neck. Holding on for dear life and crying softly. Severus slipped one arm around the boy's waist and the hand of the other arm traced lacy patterns with practised fingers up and down the boys back.

The sobs turned to hiccups, which turned to heavy breathing which slowed and calmed eventually. Harry drew back and sniffed softly. He drew in a heavy breath and sighed. "I'll go now," was all he said before he apparated away. To where, Severus didn't know, but he hoped it would be to Malfoy Manor. 

---

**The question of the century...where will Harry go?**

**It's simple, you review (SUGGESTIONS ARE GOOD); I update. Not complicated**


	6. The Attempt

**SUICIDE REFERENCES SUICIDE REFERENCES SUICIDE REFERENCES SUICIDE REFERENCES SUICIDE REFERENCES SUICIDE REFERENCES SUICIDE REFERENCES SUICIDE REFERENCES SUICIDE REFERENCES SUICIDE REFERENCES SUICIDE REFERENCES SUICIDE REFERENCES SUICIDE REFERENCES SUICIDE REFERENCES SUICIDE REFERENCES SUICIDE REFERENCES SUICIDE REFERENCES SUICIDE REFERENCES SUICIDE REFERENCES SUICIDE REFERENCES SUICIDE REFERENCES SUICIDE REFERENCES SUICIDE REFERENCES SUICIDE REFERENCES SUICIDE REFERENCES SUICIDE REFERENCES SUICIDE REFERENCES SUICIDE REFERENCES SUICIDE REFERENCES SUICIDE REFERENCES SUICIDE REFERENCES SUICIDE REFERENCES SUICIDE REFERENCES SUICIDE REFERENCES SUICIDE REFERENCES SUICIDE REFERENCES SUICIDE REFERENCES SUICIDE REFERENCES SUICIDE REFERENCES SUICIDE REFERENCES SUICIDE REFERENCES**

Harry landed inside the small house he'd called home for the past year and headed straight for bed. His sense of duty, drilled into him years ago, was screaming at him to go and fix the latest problem, or to at least go and apologise to Hermione but the part of him that had dominated for the past year said no. He didn't have to go and try to save anyone else, he didn't need to go only to fail, nor did he need to be blamed again.

Whatever his final decision would be, it could wait till morning.

---Time passes---

A disturbance in the wards made Narcissa look up, there was a dark, powerful figure approaching, she looked out the window and saw a dark haired man. She drew her wand and went to wait in the entrance hall; a house elf answered the door and informed her that Harry Potter was here. Narcissa put her wand away and stared in surprise as the house elf dashed off to lead the raven-haired boy into the house.

"You came," she looked at him in astonishment before regaining control of herself and putting on a mask of indifference.

"Not for you," Narcissa merely nodded, "nor for Snape and not for your son."

Her eyes narrowed, "Then why are you here?"

"To salvage my sanity," he replied.

Narcissa stared in silence for a moment, "Mary will show you the way," Narcissa said gesturing towards the house elf that had lead Harry in, "I will be in the library should you need me, good day Mr Potter." She inclined her head and Harry did the same.

"This way Mr Potter sir," Mary said heading up the stairs and leading Harry through lavishly decorated corridors to an ebony door. "in here sir, would you like Mary to wait for you sir?"

Harry shook his head, "No thank you Mary."

"If Mr Potter needs anything he need only call," Mary said, curtsied and scurried off to work.

Harry watched her go until she was out of sight he then turned to the door. He didn't have to do this; he could just turn around and walk out. He and Malfoy had never been friends, he didn't owe him anything, if he walked away now though he would go insane and he knew it. He'd run long enough, he'd run from wizards and his friends he didn't want reminders of the past, he wasn't going to run anymore. He was tired and life had nothing to offer him. He had money that he'd never spent, he had friends whom he had abused and abandoned, he'd had a potential lover in Ginny and yet none of it mattered.

He took hold of the elaborate silver handle and opened the door. It didn't creak, it was well maintained but the suffocating atmosphere in the room was almost too much to bare. He looked towards the bed and there he was, Draco Malfoy, or some form of him. His angular face now even more so, his cloths and sheets hanging about him. His once sleek blonde hair had dulled, or perhaps it was the lack of light reflecting gel, it pooled around his head like a mock halo.

Harry looked at him and then looked down at himself, he wasn't much better. A little cleaner, a little bit more weight but mentally, spiritually he was fading away and Malfoy it seemed, was on the brink of self-destruction.

Malfoy opened his eyes, it seemed to take him a lot of effort, he was weak and Harry could barely feel the slow pulse of his magical core. He was dieing. Piercing icy blue met with his eyes, they looked right through him and then closed, turning away from him. "How long has it been since you've eaten Malfoy?" Harry asked looking at him, "How long has it been since you were able to talk?"

Malfoy didn't hear him, or if he did he gave no signs of it. "It won't help you, you know that don't you? Or are you still the self-absorbed bouncing ferret I knew in school?" He saw the muscles in Draco's face tighten and then unwind, he couldn't hold them there, it probably hurt.

"It hurts doesn't it, but I wonder, what hurts more, your memories or your guilt. You're probably wondering what I'm doing here," Draco's eyes opened to look at him again.

"Snape asked me to come," Draco's eyes closed, "that won't help you know, closing your eyes wont make the world go away. If you want to die so much just pick up your wand and do it, stop wasting time Malfoy. The only one clinging to your pathetic life is your mother, Snape hasn't come to see you has he, he's let you down hasn't he, abandoned you like he abandoned me."

Harry fought tears out of his eyes, Malfoy was watching him intently now, "Go on, it'll make everyone's lives easier when your dead, so go on, pick up your wand and kill yourself and stop taking up air. Oh but wait, you can't even sit up on your anymore can you, if you wanted to die so badly why didn't you just kill yourself when you could, why have you wasted your time rotting away. You're not even close to death yet and your bodies in so much pain. Get over yourself you sick prat, he's not going to come for you, he thinks you hate him."

Two tears escape Harry's eyes and fell down his cheeks, Draco's eyes too were beginning to shine or maybe it was the light. "You know what he thinks, you were his lover, his fuck buddy, he chose you over me and you rub that in my face too. Just like everything else, well done Malfoy, you get the last laugh after all. He's still pining over you, shut up in that dark place he calls a home, moping over you and yet you sit here wasting away. You're a git and an idiot. You want the pain to stop? You want it to end get off your lazy ass do something. Go find him, go have your fun or kill yourself it doesn't matter, I don't care, just do it already."

Harry fell to his knees, choking sobs constricting his throat and blinding his eyes. "This is your entire fault you worthless piece of trash," he was talking more to himself now than Draco who was still watching him. A tear spilled out of one of the icy eyes.

A knock came at the door, a house elf came in baring a tray, it left it and with a quick look at Harry left.

A noise like the muffled screeching car tire sounded in the room and it hadn't come from Harry. He looked up, his eyes met with Draco's, Draco tried to raise one hand to him but it barely got up an inch before his energy was gone and it fell back to the bed. "What?" Harry asked looking at him; Draco's eyes darted to the food and then to Harry. "Your joking, you want me to feed you," a feeble attempt at a nod, "Why, why are you doing this to me? You drive your mother into seeking me out into formulating a plan with me best friend to guilt trip me into coming here. Why do I have to save everyone?"

Harry dragged himself to his feet and picked up the tray, moving over to sit beside Draco. He'd seen magical beds before; they had a wand-activated mechanism much like muggle beds that allowed you to adjust the angle of the bed. He used this now on Draco's bed to prop the boy's torso up. Harry tore off a small piece of bread and placed it in Draco's waiting mouth. He tried to chew but he couldn't, he tried to swallow but the bread was too big, he began choking.

Harry looked at him, Draco coughed up the bread and then looked up sadly at Harry. "You can't even eat anymore can you," Draco's eyes filled once again with tears. "I can't believe I'm going to do this," Harry groaned and tore off another piece of bread and placed it in his mouth. Draco stared at him, he didn't understand, Harry began to chew.

Harry used one hand to cup the side of Draco's face, the boy's eyes widened as he realised what Harry was going to do. Pressing his lips to Draco's Harry forced the chewed bread into Draco's mouth. "Swallow," Harry commanded and Draco did so but disgust was evident on his face.

"Look, short of shoving a tube down your throat or your nose or into your throat there is no other way. Now you tell me, do you want to be rigged up to innumerable tubes and wires," Draco looked away, "I thought not."

Harry scowled and proceeded to chew another piece of bread and so it continued until Draco had eaten a quarter of the bread and a slice of cheese. Harry felt Draco's magical core pulse; the boy was about to be sick. Harry grabbed the blonde's hand and poured healing magic into it, pushing it towards the boy's stomach to settle it. The magic dispersed into Draco's body strengthening him a little. "There, you've eaten, do that some more and you'll get better."

Harry stood up, "Goodbye Malfoy." Draco made another noise that made Harry stop and turn, he saw Draco mouth the word 'Legilimens'.

"You want me to read your mind?" Harry asked bewildered, Draco nodded pathetically. Harry pulled out his wand, "Legilimens."

He found himself slipping and sliding over ice, lots and lots of ice, it covered everything, here and there tiny, fading pulses of coloured light were encased in the ice. Draco was dieing, even his mind was leaving him. An image of Harry leaning in appeared before him, an image of just now and then an image of a calendar, a red ring appeared around tomorrows date and then Harry feeding Draco again.

"You want me to come back again tomorrow?" Harry found himself expelled from Draco's mind to find the blonde nodding at him. Harry was going to protest but he let his shoulders slump. "I hate you," he spat and then left. He did not go to Mrs Malfoy, he did not call for assistance, he simply left and apparated back home before collapsing on his bed and crying, crying like he hadn't in months.

---Malfoy Manor---

Narcissa entered her sons room that afternoon to find the tray of food on Draco's bedside table partly consumed, she looked at it astonished then at Draco, "You didn't, did you?"

_You gave an attempt at a nod and Narcissa's eyes filled with tears and smile broke her indifferent mask in two. She flew to her son's side and fell to her knees, holding his hand and stroking it with hers. She smiled at him and the corner of his mouth twitched. If Harry Potter had gotten her son to eat, what other miracles could he perform?_

**It's been a while neh? Please review**


	7. The Break

Harry continued coming to feed Draco, bread in the morning and soup in the evenings; his stomach wasn't strong enough to hold done breakfast, dinner and lunch yet. Harry had continued to routine without protest for two weeks but he was about to hit a hurdle he wasn't prepared for. He leaned in and put his lips to Draco's, the blonde accepted the food and then did something he'd never done before, his tongue wound it's way into Harry's mouth. Harry pulled back and looked at Draco in horror, "What did you do that for?" Harry demanded.

Draco shrugged.

"You filthy bastard you," Harry glared fiercely at Draco who cringed back in fear. "I suffer through this, this," he gestured at the remainders of Draco's meal, "and you go and pull that. What is wrong with you? You're sick, you just don't stop do you." Harry got up and made for the door, he wrenched it open and was about to storm out when something stopped him.

"Sorry," it was gruff but understandable. Harry turned and looked at Draco in astonishment, he shook his head and left leaving Draco wondering if he'd ever see the dark haired boy again. Harry had been warm and Draco was desperate. Everything Harry had said that first day had been true. He knew perfectly well that Snape wasn't the kind of man to come after someone he believed hated him and he knew he'd made Snape think he hated him. But over the two weeks he'd come and gone Draco had forgotten how much Harry hated him. Now he'd messed everything up, he wasn't strong enough to get up yet so he could do nothing but wait and hope Harry would come back.

---Spinner's End---

The pop and ripple in his wards made Snape look out the window into the pouring rain. He saw a dark figure with dark hair but he could not mistake those emerald eyes, those broken emerald eyes. "Harry," Snape breathed out as, with another pop, Harry disappeared into the night.

Snape didn't why and he wasn't sure how but he himself apparated in an instant to the side of one Harry Potter. The deadly spell left his lips and the green light short towards the dark haired man. Snape reacted on instinct he dived and caught the boy around the waist, the Arvada Kedavra missed them both by centimetres and Harry fought tooth and nail against Snape. The potions master first took the boys wand and tossed it away, attempting to restrain the desperately struggling form of Harry Potter.

"Let me go you bastard, let me end it, release me," Harry struggled, dug his pathetic attempt at nails into Snape's arms, bit everything he could reach, kicked wildly. Snape tried to keep Harry pinned with his weight while reaching for his wand, he gripped it and cast a stunner before Harry could stop him.

Snape knew it would hold for long so he bound Harry with ropes, chains and a full body bind in a hope to restrain the obscenely powerful, and apparently insanely depressed, wizard. Harry's breathing erratic and the fury in his face told Snape that as soon as his bindings released he would kill Snape.

Snape took Harry's chin between his fingers and made Harry look him straight in the eye, "Now Potter, I'm only going to ask once, what is wrong with you?"

"Why him?" Harry replied, his eyes blurring and shining with tears, "Why wasn't I good enough? Was it my father, are you really so petty as to think that I am my father? What about my mum? Remus told me you fancied her, why couldn't you pretend I was her?"

"I don't under-" Snape was about say understand when suddenly he did. He knew Harry had been visiting Draco, Narcissa had written and told him so, told him that Draco was eating, he was looking better, smiling a little, communicating with her as best he could. It had been good news but Snape just couldn't find it in himself to forgo his pride and see the boy even though it was a betrayal to his pride to manipulate the Potter boy into doing something he should have done long ago.

Something must have happened, but what, Draco couldn't have said something and yet here the boy was ranting at him about his parents. Snape got up off Harry and looked away, "I didn't return your sentiments Mr Potter, I'm sure rejection must have come as a shock to such a spoiled brat but-"

"Spoiled? How dare you call me spoiled!" Harry yelled, his eyes bloodshot, "I had to live in a cupboard for eleven years, slave for a family that hated me, serve there needs," Harry sneered at him and Snape didn't want to think what that last comment meant. "Dragged into the spotlight, into attention I had never wanted. Sure I wanted some love, some friendship, some taste of what I had been denied, not worship, not the spite I got from you."

"My life was threatened on a day to day basis and you call that spoiled? I was attacked by more than childish pranks and you call that spoiled. I was nearly killed by a basilisk, denied my godfather for thirteen years and you call that spoiled? Forced to compete in a death risking tournament, had to watch a boy die and know it was my fault, you call that spoiled do you?"

Harry's face was contorted in pain, "My godfather ripped away from me before my eyes, bound and unable to stop you from killing Dumbledore and you call that spoiled? I became a murderer at seventeen, I had to bear the world on my shoulders and watch the papers slander my name and cope with the hate mail I received from the families of those I wasn't able to save. If that's what you call spoiled, then I hate to see your idea of deprived Snape, it must be hell."

"You're not the only one with problems Potter you conceited child," Snape argued.

"I am not conceited, don't twist my words, you call me spoiled and I prove you wrong so you try and dig another hole. If you hate me so much why don't you let me go and let me die, why don't you kill someone else," Harry spat at his feet.

"You, you!"

"Enough, I've had enough, the wizarding world's had its use of me and dealt fine for the year when I was invisible. The minute I walk back into it and something is already expected of me. I can't work miracles, I can't save everyone, I already got rid of the Dark Bastard, now why am I not allowed to reward myself by saving myself. Why can't I be free of the restraints of this live and sink into oblivion where I belong?"

"Because you don't belong there," Snape replied, "you belong here."

"Why?" Harry demanded, fury evident in his burning eyes, he was on his feet now, his arms were still pinned to his sides and standing in front of Snape.

"You're still needed," Snape replied.

"Needed? Needed? Let whoever the hell needs me go and do whatever they need themselves," Harry sneered.

"I need you," Snape hung his head at the admission.

"Don't talk crap, you're just too much of a coward to go up to Draco and try again. You wanna tell me about who needs me well then I'm gunna tell you who the needs you and believe you me it's next to no one."

Snape glared at him.

"That blonde git needs you and he's the only one. I don't like being used as a tool or a substitute Snape, I didn't like it then and I don't like it now so now I am going to be conceited, now I am going to arrogant and say I don't need to fucking well sort out your problem for you. I am going to let you sort out your own problem and go find a dark corner to hide in," with those last words Harry was released from all his restraints and grabbed Snape's collar making it hard for the potions master to breath. "Now…get out of my house!" Harry growled and shoved Snape towards the door.

The dark haired man stumbled and tripped, landing hard and painfully on his knees. He look back at Harry standing over him looking positively murderous.

_**WARNING**_

_**This story is going to come to a grinding halt if I don't get some suggestions on what should happen next! Suggest in reviews or PM me.**_


	8. The Fiance

**Title: Fledglings**

**Summary: **Deaths and other wartime events leave behind a few broken wings but sometimes the mental scars are too deep to reach with magic. What kind of miracle will it take to pull two broken boys back into the light? Why Severus Snape of course...HPSSDM

**Rating: M**

**Status: 8 chapter written, 8 chapter posted**

**Review count: 63**

Poison Maker: Well Snape goes to see Draco, Harry does something a little more extreme than soul searching :D

lilliephoenix: Ending? Plot? Never had one of those in my entire writing carrier, it's a miracle if I even reach the end of a story

mphoenix: nervous laugh

Ookami Kage: You'd be surprised how many people think that I know where I'm going. This story was based on an image I drew once.

hot as hell: Wouldn't everyone?

DeAtHsTeNsHi: I refuse point blank to lock anyone in rooms

HecateDeMort: There will be more plotting have no fear

Silver Tears 11: Not gunna do POVs, I get stuck

Seraphwalker: Wow, that's probably one of the most helpful reviews anyone has ever sent, I'm touched

Evelyn Lucia: Don't hurt me

kooky-dolphin: Passionate, angry kiss...I like that, I shall make it happen

Psychotic Yaoi Lover: Well I kept writing

Hallenee: Okay

Flame Ivy Moon: Right

Aamaya: Save him by going to a club...maybe not but Draco and Sev do patch it up

LoveNeverWantedMe: Lol, enjoy the update

Jazzy: You know, you're the second person to suggest a club. A little cliche but we shall see

death-by-inkpen: I updated

youngmagic: Maybe

Gabby Kathleen: Hm...

darkakane: I have not abandoned this story and it's nice to know I have adoring fans :D

**Pairings: Harry Potter x Draco Malfoy x Severus Snape, Ron Weasley x Hermione Granger, Lucius x Snape **

**Notes: Um...don't hate me?**

-----

Snape scrambled to his feet and fled, apparating back to Spinners End and there he staid for a week. Draco continued to gain strength as little by little he ate more and more but the life had died from his eyes. The life Harry had put there had gone with Harry. Narcissa was startled when she felt a familiar pulse run through the wards and she wondered if Draco had registered it too. She got up gracefully and went to the door, opening just as Severus Snape lifted his hand to knock.

"Am I still welcome here?" he asked, softly.

"You were never not Severus," she ushered him in, "would you like a drink of some sort?" she asked.

"No," Severus sighed, "I'm here to do something I should have done a long time ago." Narcissa smiled at him and he turned, he couldn't look her in the eyes. If Draco didn't accept him he thought he would surely break and what that would do to Narcissa. Merlin, when had he become such a coward? Since he'd fallen for his godson and since he'd been attracted to the offspring of his childhood rival. Torn between comfort and foreign he wanted both and now both hated him.

The potions master slowly climbed the steps and followed the familiar corridors to Draco's room. He raised his hand to knock and decided against it, instead he simply pushed the door open and strode in looking at the pale boy propped up against pillows shook his heart.

"Severus," Draco's voice was soft and his face showed amazement, then sadness, he looked away.

"Draco please, look at me," Severus begged falling to his knees beside the bedridden boy.

"Why are you here?" Draco asked, his voice shaking and his hair falling over his eyes.

"I," Severus lost his voice, his tongue curling over itself, not sure how to form the words his brain couldn't comprehend.

A tear fell from amidst Draco's hair, Severus reached up with one hand and cupped the boy's cheek gently, he tilted the blonde's head up and looked at him. "I'm sorry," he'd said it and the look of hope that danced in those icicle eyes warmed his heart and shattered the ice casing he had been nursing for years.

"Severus, why didn't you come?"

"I failed you," Severus held back sobs he had known would come but hadn't acknowledged, "I couldn't stop them, I broke my promise to protect you."

"No," Draco was shaking now, "no that isn't true, you did everything you could. The only time that I felt that you failed me was when you didn't come afterwards. You weren't there Severus, I waited for you, why didn't you come?"

"I was afraid, I didn't want to see you broken."

"Am I not who I was in your eyes Severus," fresh tears welled up, "do you no longer love me?" A chocked sob wracked the blonde's throat and he gasped when he found himself enveloped in a warm, shattering hug. He sobbed into the black shoulder and clutched onto the front of the man's robes for all he was worth. He wanted to be worth something, to someone, anyone.

"Don't say such foolish things. Don't even think like that, never, you hear me Draco. I have and always will love you, it should have been me that came to you, not Potter and I'm so sorry, can you ever forgive me?"

"Severus, there is something you must know," Draco sniffled quietly.

"Yes?" Severus asked, not releasing Draco from his hug.

"I think I, I think that, maybe I…I believe I have developed feelings for Harry and I know that you bare them too, what has he done to us Severus?" Draco whimpered.

"I'm not sure, but whatever it is it has done some good," Severus replied.

"I have a question for you now Draco," Severus said after a pause.

"Yes?"

"Did something happen between you two a week ago?" Severus asked and Draco's face darkened.

"I think I did something I shouldn't have," Draco replied, "why?" he asked suddenly looking panicked.

"That isn't important right now, what did you do?"

"I, I couldn't chew so Harry, he chewed for me and, he would, he," Draco blushed slightly, "he would put his mouth to mine so I could swallow the food and one day I. I, I put my tongue in his mouth like a kiss, and I uh, I mean he, um…" Draco trailed off, averting his eyes and his ears turning pink.

"Oh dear lord," Severus shook his head, a hand coming up to cover his face as he released his hold on Draco.

The blonde fell back into the pillows and frowned, "Severus, what aren't you telling me?"

"He tried to kill himself, I think we together may have broken him Draco," the blonde's eyes widened.

"He didn't succeed did he? Please tell me you stopped him?" Severus nodded. Draco heaved a hefty sigh, "Thank Merlin."

"But Severus, what should we do now?"

"I think we should pay a visit to Hermione Weasley."

"So she married him after all?"

Severus nodded

---

Ginny placed the dish she was washing into the soapy water, charming the sponge to finish the job she went to the door. She gasped and was thankful she had left the plate behind, she'd surely of dropped it. "Harry," she breathed.

"Hey Ginny," he said, his voice ruff.

Her heart pounded at the sound, so much deeper than she remembered and yet it still rang bells deep inside her.

"Harry, what are you, why are you…you're here?"

"Ginny, will you marry me?" Harry asked bringing out a box from his pocket and opening it to reveal a silver ring with three diamonds set into it.

Ginny gasped, "Oh my, this is all so sudden," tears welled in her eyes, "but yes Harry, I'll marry you."

As Harry slipped the ring on her finger, the joy in her eyes ate at his heart and he couldn't understand it. She loved him, he was fond of her, he could live without them, he knew he could. He had to; he would break in two if he went back there. This was the only way and yet he couldn't help it. Guilt gnawed away at him, breaking down his conscience. He was using her, would he be able to live with himself and if he couldn't where would that leave her. Tied to a man who didn't love her. She deserved better.

---

Hermione looked up when she heard the door knock, "I'll get it," Ron whispered to her, kissing her forehead and moving her so she was resting on the sofa rather than him.

He walked to the door and out of site, Hermione turning back to the television. "What the hell?" came Ron's startled cry. Hermione looked up again as no one, but three people charged into the room.

One was Ron, at the back and looking insulted, at the front was Severus Snape and cowering behind him was, "Draco Malfoy, is that really you?" Hermione breathed.

"Hermione, what are they doing here?" Ron demanded, glowering at them.

"Be silent Weasley," Severus snapped.

"Now, I'd rather you not address my husband in such a manner in our own home, please, sit," she indicated the three empty seats.

Severus went to sit on a chair that was just about big enough for two, Draco cuddled up next to him and Ron winced. He didn't mind his friends being homosexual, Dean and Seamus had gotten together after all, he just wasn't comfortable around open displays of that sexuality.

"Ron, could you go and make us all some drinks?" Hermione asked lightly laying a hand gently on his arm. He shot her a look and she gave him one back, "Please." He nodded and looked at Severus and Draco.

"Coffee would be fine," Severus looked down at Draco who shook his head, "Nothing for him."

Ron opened his mouth but Hermione stopped him by giving him a light shove in the way of the kitchen.

Once Ron was out of the room Hermione sat down on the sofa, curling with her legs tucked under her, "Now tell me boys, what are you doing here?"

Severus heaved a sigh and proceeded to tell her what Draco had told him and then he told her what Harry had almost done and the events after that. Hermione had gasped and looked shocked and was about to say something when she was interrupted by an owl tapping on the window.

"Excuse me," she said politely, she went to the window and opened it, the owl dropped a letter into her palm before swooping into the kitchen. There was a yelp that had obviously come from Ron. Her eyes darted across the letter, her eyes widening and her breath quickened, she looked up at Severus and Draco, "We've got a problem."

"What is it?" Draco asked softly.

"Ginny's been proposed to and she's accepted," Hermione replied quietly.

"But how is that of our concern?" Severus inquired.

"Because, her new fiancé is Harry."

-----

**He's desperate that and I like Ginny so I'm going to include her a little bit. Don't worry, it will be a HDS, Ginny is going to realise some things.**


	9. The Meeting

**Title: Fledglings**

**Summary: **Deaths and other wartime events leave behind a few broken wings but sometimes the mental scars are too deep to reach with magic. What kind of miracle will it take to pull two broken boys back into the light? Why Severus Snape of course...HPSSDM

**Rating: M**

**Status: 9 chapters written, 9 chapters posted**

**Review count: 72**

Seraphwalker - There's some meekiness here for your delight

sbkar - Right okay

DestinyEntwinements - 0.o What's your flavour?

sam - Tralalala

Kali09 - Explained in this chapter sweet 3

samgurlalways - Kinda stuck on that bit...suggestions?

Psychotic Yaoi Lover - Enjoy

lilliephoenix - Aw poor Ginny

anon - It's meant to be...thank-you

**Pairings: Harry Potter x Draco Malfoy x Severus Snape, Ron Weasley x Hermione Granger, Lucius x Snape **

**Notes: Um...don't hate me?**

-----

Hermione buried her head in her hands, "Oh what have I done?" she moaned miserably.

"There is no way you could have known this would happen Mrs Weasley," Severus said calmly but his face showed the anger his voice did not.

"Oh but I did, he wanted you Severus," Hermione persisted turning to lean against the window sill, on arm protectively across her stomach, her hand shaking and clutching the letter. The other was up at her mouth, "Finding him, taking him to you. You are a Slytherin Severus I have known you long enough you find it favourable to send others in first and Narcissa knew. She knew you would guilt Harry into going and I knew he would give. His hearts broken but in the right place and I knew he'd be rash. Passed like a rag dog, he still wanted you and you sent him after Draco like a substitute. Now he's gone and proposed and telling Ginny would cripple her. She's waited for months for him to come back into our lives and now he's proposed. Her childhood dream will cloud her judgment. Oh we can't let them do this, we just can't."

"Let whom do what?" Ron asked as he walked in, "If you've upset her," he glared at Severus and Draco after looking from his wide to them.

"We are partly to blame, I'm sorry," Draco mumbled and Ron was so stunned by this he remained tactfully silent.

"Your sister is marrying Harry," Hermione said softly, her eyes glassy with unshed tears.

"Harry? Harry's back? Marrying Ginny," Ron grinned, "Oh this is wonderful news," but his joy faded as the atmosphere of the room ate at him. "What's really going on? I'm not as dense as I was in school but Hermione dear, you're doing to have to explain this one to me."

So Hermione sat down, choosing not to answer Ginny's owl but to write to Narcissa instead with instructions to The Warren, then she explained the events to Ron.

"You bastards," was the first thing Ron said after a long pause, glaring Severus and Draco, the blonde shrank back but didn't say anything. "Why did you keep this from me?" Ron rounded on Hermione, "I'm his best friend."

"You are also impulsive Ron and you will not take that tone with me," Hermione said sternly, "Harry didn't need you barging into his life expecting things to be the way they were. The guilt after the war nearly crippled him Ron, you saw what St Mungos said about him, you don't have the tact."

"So you went scheming with Narcissa Malfoy instead," Ron looked more hurt than angry at this point, "Think she understands him better?"

"No, she understands them better," Hermione pointed at Severus and Draco.

"We are still here," Severus drawled scathingly.

"I'm sorry," Hermione said hastily before turning back to a red faced Ron, prepared to argue but she was interrupted. The fire in the grate turned a brilliant shade of green and out stepped Narcissa Malfoy with more grace than Hermione had ever managed.

"It's an invasion," Ron huffed sulkily, throwing himself back into his chair and slouching there, arms crossed.

Hermione gave a tired sigh, "Narcissa, thank-you for coming."

"Don't think I'm going to help you plan a wedding," Narcissa said softly but there was a cold edge to her voice.

"If you would help us crash one I would be much obliged," Hermione replied, directing the blonde woman to a chair.

"Hello mother," Draco said.

Narcissa looked up, "Draco, my son," her eyes shone.

"I'm sorry mother," Draco got up and walked over to her, falling to his knees in front of her and looping his arms around her waist, burying his head in her chest like he used to do when he was younger. He smelled her perfume and bathed in her soft skin.

"Oh my boy, by beautiful baby," Narcissa cooed, stroking his hair and holding him tightly. Severus had the humility to look embarrassed and Ron coughed. The blondes stopped, Draco moving to sit next Severus again and Narcissa looking a little more relaxed.

"Harry has proposed to Ginny in what I believe to be a last ditch effort, I believe Harry is hopping that marrying her will make him forget everything else," Hermione said.

"Hold on one minute, you mean to tell me we plan on breaking them up," Ron said suddenly, leaning forward so fast his back nearly clicked, "I won't let you hurt my sister like that, I won't."

"Oh Ron, you must understand she is not a baby anymore, she can't wonder around in a childhood daydream. The Harry she had a passing fancy for is gone, the war weathered and suicidal Harry is not someone she will want to marry," Hermione argued.

"We can help him out of it, let them be happy together, let her help him recover, why can't you leave this lot out of it?" Ron demanded hotly.

"Because he doesn't love her," Hermione stated.

"How do you know that?"

"Because Ron, he's fancied Severus since before we graduated," a blush rose up the potion's master's collar but neither of the arguing couple noticed.

"He could…"

"No Ron, he'd not bi, he doesn't love her, we won't love her, not like she deserves to be loved. See sense Ron, one is your best friend, one is your sister, don't you want what's best for them?" Hermione implored him.

"Yes," Ron looked sad now, "but I don't want to choose.

"You don't have to Ron, but for Ginny's sakes and Harry's we need to stop this wedding. Ginny will never be happy if the man she is with does not treat her as an equal, she doesn't want someone to just go through the motions of loving her and Harry deserves better than the easy way out, he deserves people that love the him of now, not a concoction of fantasy and reality built up years ago and left to foster in absence," Hermione finished, a sad expression on her face.

Ron was silent but she could tell her had agreed.

"But how do we go about stopping it?" Narcissa asked, taking her gaze from Draco to Hermione.

"I don't know, we need to make Ginny understand without isolating her and we need to get Harry to see that he's loved and he doesn't need to do this," Hermione said.

"We need to make them realise it on their own," everyone looked at Ron. "What?" he asked, "I'm allowed to have smart moments."

"_Never expected it of you Weasley," Severus sneered but there was an upward curl to those thin lips._

-----

**HOW SHOULD THEY DO IT?????**

**5 reviews or no update!**


	10. The Club

**Title: Fledglings**

**Summary: **Deaths and other wartime events leave behind a few broken wings but sometimes the mental scars are too deep to reach with magic. What kind of miracle will it take to pull two broken boys back into the light? Why Severus Snape of course...HPSSDM

**Rating: M**

**Status: 10 chapters written, 10 chapters posted**

**Review count: 81 (Yay, 9 :D Thanks peeps)**

Ookami Kage - Danke

liz - Turn around and walk back because I have updated

EvenstArwen - I am most honored you think so

DestinyEntwinements - And how did you manage that one? Oh and yes, they are.

mphoenix - Yes it was

Kali09 - I may try and include that, not in this chapter mind this had a different twist

wover30 - It did, enjoy

darkakane - Well I have continued because I too like my story :D

**Pairings: Harry Potter x Draco Malfoy x Severus Snape, Ron Weasley x Hermione Granger, Lucius x Snape **

**Notes: Some time ago somebody gave me a cliche club suggestion so here's my little twist on it.**

-----

"Oh Harry, I can't believe it," Ginny sighed for the umpteenth time gazing at the engagement ring on her finger. Harry merely grunted, "Oh and in other news, Hermione and Ron have invited us to go dancing with them on Friday night, isn't that wonderful?"

Harry looked up at her, gave her a half smile and nodded distractedly.

"Are you overwhelmed with excitement too darling. I mean, it was all so sudden and I haven't seen you in so long. I know, why don't we go and find some cloths to wear for Friday," Ginny gushed.

Harry allowed her to take his hand and tried his best to look like he thought a good fiancé would. Like he loved her, like even shopping, a very un-manly thing to do, was bearable just to spend time with her. But it wasn't her blue eyes he saw every time he closed his eyes, not a warm sea blue, but a piercing blue that was shattered like breaking ice. It wasn't her lips he felt when she kissed him, they were his but he could forget that.

Harry didn't like flew powder when he was young and he certainly didn't like it now but he followed her through the fireplace none the less and found himself sprawled on the floor of the Leaky Cauldron. People stopped and stared…Harry Potter hadn't been seen in wizarding society for some time now.

"Harry, is that you?" the bar man, Tom asked.

"No," he replied standing and brushing himself off, hoping that his uncut hair would hide his scar. Ginny spun around to look at him. His eyes didn't meet hers and she understood.

"Tom this is…Tom, he's my fiancé," Ginny said looping her arm through Harry's who tried his best to grin in a carefree way but he feared it probably came out more like a grimace.

"Well it's nice to be meeting ya. So where'd ya both meet?" Tom asked.

"We met when I was in France," Ginny replied smoothly, "but I'm afraid we can't stop Tom, lots of work to do and all that," Ginny smiled brightly and practically dragged Harry through to the alley.

"Interesting you should pick the name Tom," Harry murmured.

"It has nothing to do with Tom Riddle if that's what your thinking," Ginny sniffed angrily, " and what was that look for in there, you looked like the thought of being my fiancé made you ill. Aren't you happy with me Harry?" Tears welled up in her eyes.

"Ssh," Harry said gulping; he leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips. He withdrew slow enough to give the impression that the kiss was chase but the real reason was that it wasn't her he wanted to kiss.

"Come on then," Ginny said, taking his hand and smiling. The next half of the day was a blur of going in and out of shops. Harry ended up with a pair of tight black denim jeans and an emerald green silk shirt with shining silver buttons.

"I know its Slytherin like," Ginny said, "but they are your colours, even mum knows that." She was of course referring to the many jumpers Harry had received each Christmas, all of which had been green with a silver H.

---Friday Night---

Friday rolled around and Harry stood in front of the mirror looking at himself. He felt ridiculous, he knew he must look attractive because Ginny had been drooling over him all afternoon.

"You ready to go darling?" Ginny asked as she poked her head through the doorway. "You look so sexy," she looked him up and down appraisingly.

Then she took his hand and gently guided him outside where they caught the night bus into muggle London. They met Hermione and Ron outside and club and thanks to a contact of Hermione's they went straight in. Those in the queue glared at them as they went past. They sat at a booth with some drinks and after a while Hermione urged Ginny and Harry onto the dance floor winking at Harry. Harry gave her a pained look but she acted as though she hadn't noticed.

Harry tried to dance with Ginny but it just wasn't doing anything for him. She was moving suggestively against him, the short floaty scarlet skirt she was wearing riding up. Harry could see many of the guys around him ogling her pale thighs, could see their natural reactions and it shamed him. It shamed him to realise that it did nothing for him, not her tight bare midriff, nor the ample cleavage, the bare shoulders, the copper hair.

"Excuse me a moment Harry," Ginny then ducked inside the girl's toilets. Harry watched her go standing in between the other gyrating bodies, the lights flashing over head and the fake smoke choking his senses. He felt claustrophobic, he felt like he had to get out and then suddenly something was moving against him.

It was a boy, shorter than he and wearing a cap. He couldn't see eyes, just tufts of white blonde hair. The boy was wearing a silver shirt and black form fitting pants, the tight feeling left Harry's throat and of no will of his own moved against the other boy.

His breath quickened and he actually moaned when he felt another, slim but taller, body moving behind him. Sandwiched between two he slung his head back and rested it on the shoulder of whoever was behind him, reaching his hands over his head to wind his fingers into the long hair of the man behind him. He gave a groan when the one behind him leaned forward to kiss and suckle on one side of his neck while the blonde in front licked up the other side to his earlobe panting into his ear, Harry's eyes fluttered open.

He was moving freely now, encased in a warmth that went from the tips of his hair to the tips of his toes. He looked down to see a pair of icy eyes and then they were gone both of them and he say Ginny wading her way through the crowd to him. "Miss me?" she asked looking at him hungrily. She undid the top two buttons of his shirt and then began to move against his waist.

---Hermione---

Ron had gone to get her another drink so she was sat alone, she'd seen the whole thing, in fact, and she'd orchestrated it. She knew Ginny loved to dance so she wouldn't say know and she'd drag Harry along to show him off. She knew that Harry only like to dance around someone he was well and truly comfortable with, like her and Ron.

"Do you think it worked?" Draco asked, sliding in next to her.

"Well he seemed responsive to me at least," Severus smirked.

"Yes but he may not have known who we are," Draco replied leaning on Severus and panting heavily. Hermione couldn't work out if Draco was panting because this was the most exercise he'd had in months and he'd spent the week strengthening himself up for it, or if it was down to the bulge in his pants.

"Well he's not been reacting to Ginny so far this evening so I think you can at least say you're auras have a positive effect," Hermione replied taking a sip of her drink and scrunching her nose. "Spiked," she hissed in loathing taking out her wand and subtly charming the liquid into water. The last thing she wanted was to go completely out of her mind and end up blurting out the plan to Ginny on the way home.

"You two had better scat, they'll be back over in a moment," Ron said as he approached with drinks.

Severus and Draco nodded at the Weasley pair and left. Ginny turned up then, Harry's hand in hers. "Harry's tired, Hermione, come dance with me," Ginny then took Hermione by the hands and dragged her onto the dance floor.

"Having fun?" Ron asked sliding up to Harry.

Harry fidgeted but didn't respond.

"Haven't seen you in a while," Ron said, trying again to make conversation.

"Sorry," Harry mumbled.

"Can't hear ya mate," Ron said grinning, slinging an arm around Harry's shoulders. Harry flinched. "We're still friends you know," Ron said into Harry's ear so that Harry could hear him, "And I wouldn't mind if you went off with Malfoy and Snape."

Harry looked at him in shock, "I'm engaged to your sister! I-I…I l-lo…I lov-…I love her."

Ron looked at him sadly, "Harry don't make me choose between you and her, I want you both to be happy but I won't let you marry her unless you actually love her," Ron said sternly, his gaze was fixed on Harry now and Ron could see the other man was uneasy.

"I just said I did didn't I?" Harry growled back, his face angry.

"After about five attempts, I saw you out there Harry, you don't want her like those horny bastards," Ron gestured out at the crowd.

Harry looked away ashamed.

Hermione and Ginny chose that moment to come back over, Ginny sliding in and cuddly up to Harry. "Any drinks going Ron?" she asked looking at her brother.

"I think you've had enough," Ron said slowly.

"Ha, Ron, older brother though you may be, it's not your place to tell me when I've had enough," she then proceeded to down a shot of vodka, "Another!" she cried.

Hermione shared a look with Ron, "Ginny, would you mind accompanying me outside, it's awfully hot in here and I feel like I need some air."

"Oh Hermione you are such a prude aren't you, well come on then," Ginny consented, she was obviously tipsy, not yet hammered but close enough.

"There, now go have some real fun," Ron urged pushing Harry out of the booth.

"What?" Harry gasped. Ron didn't have time to respond because a burly man had clapped a hand on his shoulder and turned him around.

"Hey there fairy boy, I saw you with those other blokes. You know, we don't really tolerate that kinda display in here, it's disgusting," the man cracked his knuckles. Harry's expression darkened and his eyes flashed dangerously.

"Hello Dudley, getting any lately?"

The man blanched, "You, what are you doing here," suddenly the man was backing away, "you're lot don't belong here."

"Actually Dudley I think we can go wherever the hell we like," Harry sneered advancing on him Dudley stepped backwards, "And I don't think you could stop me even if you could get over your fear of me enough to try. It's not like it was all those years ago is it Dudley. You can't hold school over my head any more, you can't use that to subdue me while you take me can you? You can't risk pinning me down anymore when big old daddy isn't there to protect you can you?"

Harry was shouting now and Ron could feel the power emanating from him now. Another man like Dudley cam up behind Harry and grabbed his arms, forcing his elbows together, Harry yelped as his shoulders clicked and blood flew from his mouth as a fist went into his stomach.

"Don't worry boss, we'll stop this filthy pansy's lies," the one who had punched him sneered.

Dudley stood up taller, "Good work Pierce."

"Still can't face me alone can you Dudders, eh Duddikins, does mummy still call you that? Are you still ickle diddims?" Another punch landed in his stomach, "Hey, stop it," Ron said moving forward. He was thrown back into another, unoccupied table. But the glasses on the table did crack and he did end up with a rather nasty cut on his cheek.

"What's the matter Dudley," Harry sneered, "Not you're type anymore, what do you do, patrol the back alleys for the first little boy you see?" Another punch.

"What the hell do you lot think you're doing," demanded Hermione as she and Ginny arrived on the scene. Ginny was swaying slightly.

"Just teaching this pair of gays what it is to be a real man," Pierce sneered, "how bout you sweet cheeks, fancying experiencing a real man?" Pierce did his best impression of a smirk, in Hermione's opinion, a forth year Draco Malfoy looked more alluring.

"I'll have you know that he is my husband," Hermione said coldly pointing at Ron who was on his feet now and moving towards them, "and he," she pointed at Harry, "is Ginny's fiancé."

"Oooh, getting married are you cousin," Dudley sneered, "well go on then, show us you're not the ass taker you were back then. You loved it back then didn't you," Dudley sneered. The full meaning of those words then dawned on Hermione and Ron, it made them feel sick.

Ginny moved over to Harry as the man holding his elbows together released him. Harry staggered but remained upright, "Show them Harry, kiss me." Ginny stood there in front of him expectantly.

Harry looked at her, then Dudley, then her, a cold chill ran down his spine. He couldn't do this, it would never be the same, no…he had to get used to this, he'd have to do it every day of his life.

His left hand took hold of her shoulder, to steady himself more than anything, his other hand tangled in her copper hair. Guilt plagued him as he thought of how much he had preferred how the smooth locks of man he had danced with had slipped through his fingers, rather than this scratchy, tangling feeling. He leaned in, her eyes slipped shut and he paused, his eyes darted everywhere, desperate for escape.

He was shaking as he leaned forward to desperately press his lips to hers.

---Severus and Draco---

Severus had had to restrain Draco from jumping the men that had attacked Harry but this wasn't their fight. Both of them had gone utterly still as Harry had leaned forward to kiss the little Weaselette. Harry was shaking, and crying, his eyes shut tight and his movements haphazard. His tongue was in her mouth now and Draco was making gagging sounds. Suddenly Harry jumped backwards looking scared to death, he hurriedly wiped his mouth before bolting completely leaving Ginny standing there.

Just then the police came in having been notified of a disturbance and Severus thought this a prudent time to escort a spitting and hissing Draco home. Despite what he had witnessed and…what he had heard…he couldn't help a wry smirk, it had to said he found some pleasure in seeing the shocked look of hurt, outrage and confusion on that drunken twits face.

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**Well, that turned out longer than I expected. :D And Dudley was originally a nameless thug but this adds so much more to it no?**

**Oh it's routine now people, 5 reviews ;-p**


	11. The End

**Title: Fledglings**

**Summary: **Deaths and other wartime events leave behind a few broken wings but sometimes the mental scars are too deep to reach with magic. What kind of miracle will it take to pull two broken boys back into the light? Why Severus Snape of course...HPSSDM

**Rating: M**

**Status: 11 chapters written, 11 chapters posted**

**Review count: 90 (9 again, thank you :D)**

another boring story - Thanks

Ann - They will realise and I'm glad you like him :D

GaiazHeart - Are you one of them? ;-)

maniac kiss - I have updated

DestinyEntwinements - Glad you think so

mphoenix - Quick enough?

Kali09 - Thank-you for noticing

Not So Sane - Have you reviewed more than one stories? Anyway, enjoy this update

Psychotic Yaoi Lover - Updated

**Pairings: Harry Potter x Draco Malfoy x Severus Snape, Ron Weasley x Hermione Granger, Lucius x Snape **

**Notes: Well...um yeh...it's the longest chapter in the entire story.**

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Ginny had gotten home that night to find Harry sat in a chair by the fire staring into it. She didn't speak to him simply walked through to the bedroom and collapsed on the bed. When she woke in the morning she was violently ill and was suffering from a very painful headache. After cleaning herself up and getting dressed in the en suite she exited to find a very pale Harry Potter still staring into the fire.

Ginny looked at the ring on her finger and then at the bags under his eyes. He'd been up all night staring out the dieing fire, which were now only ashes. She remembered what had happened last night. How Harry had cried when he kissed her and she'd been a little too out of it to realise why. He hadn't wanted to kiss her and it made him sad to do so…to lie to her and to lie to himself.

She could see it was tearing him apart and it was dawning on her that what she had dreamed off since meeting the sweet scrawny boy at Kings Cross at the age of ten was never going to happen. However she also reckoned that she was the only stable thing in his life right now. She would let him make the first move.

"I'm going out shopping today Harry," he gave her a small nod but did not look at her.

"Alright then," she went back to the bedroom and owled Hermione asking her to meet her in Diagon Alley.

---Hermione and Ron---

"Ron, owl Draco and Severus, Ginny is out of the house and I'm going to keep it that way," Hermione called out as she dashed around to get ready.

"Don't you think we're taking this too far?"

Hermione stopped in her tracks and looked at Ron, "We've put our feet in it Ron, too late to get cold feet," she said as she tried her hair up into a messy ponytail. "Oh blast this hair," she muttered tugging it out and trying again. "Anyway, have to go love, promise me you'll owl them?" she asked as she leaned up to give him a kiss on the cheek.

"Alright," Ron replied with a deep sigh. His wife smiled at him and disappeared.

Ron walked over to his desk and pulled out a piece of parchment. He sat there for a long time, he didn't have to do this, not to his sister…no, this was for her future and Harry's. Small picture aside it was the bigger, long term picture he needn't to look at now. With this thought in mind, and before he lost his nerve, Ron scribbled down directions to Ginny's house and sent it with his and Hermione's owl to Malfoy Manor where Ron knew Draco and Severus had retreated to after last night.

---Draco and Severus---

Draco blinked his eyes open when a tapping awoke him. He manoeuvred his way out of Severus' arms and out of the warm cocoon he had made for himself from bed covers. He moved towards the window and opened it, taking the letter from the owl and reading it.

He rushed back to the bed and began shaking his lover, "Severus wake up, this is our chance, come on!"

---Hermione and Ginny---

The two girls sat outside the ice cream pallor at one end of Diagon alley, Hermione had a citrus fruit sorbet selection while Ginny had the house special (a five scoop affair that changes flavours in your mouth and had over 100 flavours).

"I don't know if he's really up for it," Ginny said thoughtfully while placing the spoon in her mouth and gazing at the passers by.

"If who's up for what Gin?" Hermione asked, she too had some of her sorbet.

"Harry," Ginny looked at her ice cream sadly, "I just don't think he really wants to marry me."

"What's brought this on Ginny?" Hermione asked, cheering silently but she couldn't help but feel sad all the same. This had to be hard for Ginny.

"It's just…last night…and, well, he turns up out of the blue and proposes. It's what I've been waiting so long for and yet…there's something missing you know. A spark, he doesn't touch me, he barely kisses me. It's like his mind is somewhere else, somewhere that he's running from. I'm afraid Mia, I'm afraid he's just going to run through me in time. I don't want to have to pick up the pieces and what him run off again," Ginny had tears brimming in her eyes now.

"Oh Gin," Hermione sighed heavily reaching over to lay one hand on the small red-headed girl's shoulder. "It'll be alright, you'll see."

---Harry---

The knock on the door snapped Harry out of his reverie and, thinking it was Ginny, got up to open the door. He was not prepared to see Draco and Severus standing there. In his shock he did not freeze up but slammed the door turned around and leaned against it breathing heavily, his eyes darting left and right. After reassuring himself that it had been his mind playing tricks on him he turned back around to open the door a second time. When the hurt blonde and annoyed looking potions master remained as real as ever Harry was not prepared and so the two took the opportunity to barge in.

"What are you two doing here," Harry snapped at them when blood got back to his brain.

"We came to see you Harry, we miss you," Draco said softly reaching out to Harry who backed away.

"Get out, both of you, I never want to see either of you again," Harry shouted, his face contorted in anger. The only mask he could find to hide his fear, his fear that the walls he'd thrown up to shield his heart for years would crumble if he stayed around them too long.

"No Harry." Green eyes snapped to look at Severus Snape who was regarding him sternly. "You're not going to run this time, we came here to talk."

Harry gulped looking from the pleading eyes of the blonde, still fragile looking but definitely healthier than when Harry had last knowingly clapped eyes on him, and then up to the dark, mysterious pools of his ex-professor. "Sit down then," Harry sneered moving to sit on a two-seater sofa.

Severus nodded moving to sit in a chair by the fireplace and bringing the fire back to life with a wave from his wand. Draco plopped down next to Harry and Harry nearly fled to room, he hadn't been near the boy since…well…Harry didn't want to think about that.

"I hear you're marrying the youngest of the Weasley clan," Severus said coolly.

"That's right, not that it's any business of yours," Harry snapped.

"Do you love her Harry?"

Harry looked at Draco, the blonde looked like a rabbit caught in the glare of the headlights of an oncoming car. A car that Harry was driving.

"I…I…" Harry could not finish because Draco had leaned forward to press his lips to Harry's. Harry's eyes slipped closed and he groaned…a second later his hands flew to Draco's shoulders pushing the blonde away and standing, backing away from the sofa. He backed into something hard and looked his shoulder to see Severus Snape standing behind him.

"What are you doing?" Harry gasped trying to scramble away but Draco was in front of him. He was sandwiched between the two and apparition in his panicked state would surely have left him splinched.

"Don't you like this Harry?" Draco murmured pressing harder against Harry.

"You seemed to last night," Severus whispered in his ear, nibbling the love.

Harry groaned, memories of a similar position flooding his mind and making his hands move to grip the hair of the two men that were encircling him.

"Yes, I daresay you like it even now," Draco's hand traced patterns on Harry's chest, lifting up the boy's shirt to reveal scars and smooth tanned skin.

"More perhaps since you know who we are," Severus drawled into his ear as one of his hands, long fingered and flexible at the wrist, crept around to his front and cupping between he apex of Harry's thighs. Harry moaned at this and tilted his head back. Draco and Severus attacked opposite sides of Harry's neck with a vengeance.

"That's right Harry, give in to what you know you want," Draco whispered.

"We love you Harry, we're not trying to use you, we genuinely love you," Severus murmured.

"Let us heal you Harry," Draco purred.

"Release the pain," Severus hissed.

Harry couldn't help it; he was enjoying their attention. He did want to give in, he wanted it, he craved it. His heart was beating wildly in his chest willing him to fall into them both but he couldn't.

Reason tied up all his lustful, sinful, thoughts. He was engaged; he couldn't do this to Ginny. No, he would marry her, he would be happy with her…he would live the lie he had fashioned for himself, he would lie in the grave he had unwittingly dug.

"You don't need to be self-sacrificial anymore Harry. He's gone now, you don't have to do anything you don't want to do," Severus whispered having read the boy's mind.

"We'll bury the past together," Draco continued, "please Harry, let us be your light as you have been ours."

Harry could not answer. He didn't want to deny them but the honourable Gryffindor part of his heart still clung to the fact that Ginny was expecting him to marry her in a week.

The fire crackled green, Severus and Draco stopped their assault on Harry to look at it, Ron's face appeared and both gave a sigh of relief, believing it to have been Ginny. "You two had better go, Ginny is on her way back."

With that warning given and both giving a final kiss to a dazed Harry's lips they left. A few minute later Ginny walked through the door to find Harry asleep on the couch, a smile on his face and his breathing steady. She looked at him sadly, this was the first time she had seen him sleep peacefully since he had returned to her and she knew, deep in her heart that it was not thoughts of her that carried him safely to his dreams.

She was about to move to the kitchen when she was a glimmer of something on Harry's shirt. She moved over and carefully plucked it away. A golden hair…another girl? Could that be why he hadn't wanted to be with her? No, that couldn't be it, that hair hadn't been there when she'd left and she knew Harry hadn't met anyone at the club. Then it began to dawn on her…it wasn't another girl at all…it was a man…Draco Malfoy. It all made sense now, the Daily Prophet had reported the blonde's road to recovery with Severus Snape at his side. Hermione's distant behaviour at the time…she had a hand in this, that's why she hadn't consoled her very well while they were out, she'd been planning this. But Hermione wouldn't have had time to contact Malfoy…Ron. They'd all been in on this.

Ginny ran to the bedroom and flung herself on the bed and tears flowed down her cheeks. They were not tears of betrayal; they were angry tears, anger at her own stupidity for being so foolish. He had no loved her; he was running away from admitting love to those he really loved. Maybe he'd changed his mind, perhaps he'd said no today, perhaps he would love her now?

A week passed and Harry said nothing, he talked to her more but he did not kiss her…not once. The day before their wedding dawned and Ginny spent the night at Hermione's and Ron stayed with Harry.

---The chapel---

Ron looked at Harry, "Are you actually going to go through with this?" Ron demanded, he was angry and it showed, his face was going red.

"I love her Ron," Harry said but it was a blank statement, there was no real emotion there.

"No you don't you bastard and you know it. Hermione and I have given you ample opportunity and now you're going to tie my sister to you for your own selfish gain. You're a git Harry Potter, if you go through with this I swear I will never forgive you," with that Ron made to storm out of the door.

"Wait, what do you mean ample opportunity," there was a pause, "the club…them coming to the house. You've been planning this the entire time."

"Yes you great prat," Ron snapped, "and don't go saying a thing about controlling your life. You love them Harry, they love you, don't take my sister's life. I've never thought that you did a single thing wrong. You brought down Lord Voldemort, you freed us all but if you do this Harry. If you marry my sister I will never forgive you."

With that he left and Harry was left alone.

Ron stormed down the hallway to the entry hall of the chapel where Hermione was stood, Draco and Severus behind her, "Well?"

"No change," Ron sighed heavily.

Hermione bit her lip, "I had better go and see Ginny." She hitched her skirt up and rushed off.

"He's stubborn isn't he," Draco murmured regrettably.

"He was in Gryffindor," Severus replied placing an arm around the blonde.

"But he isn't stupid," Ron said, the two looked up at him, "he'll get there."

---Hermione and Ginny---

"Hey Gin," Hermione said as she came into the room. Ginny was there in front of the mirror in her wedding dress, the veil over her face. As Hermione entered Ginny lifted the veil to show a teary face. "Gin, what's wrong?"

"I don't want this," Ginny replied.

"Want what?" Hermione asked.

"I don't want to marry him, I want him to be happy, seeing him happy makes me happy but it isn't me that can bring him that joy. It's Snape and Malfoy," Ginny's fists were clenched at her sides Hermione bit her lip again. "You knew didn't you? That's why you asked us to the club, that's why you insisted on going clothe shopping, something you hate, you wanted to keep me out of the house. I can't believe I was so foolish," a tear rolled down her heart shaped face.

"Oh Gin," Hermione walked up to her and laid her hands on her shoulder.

"Why didn't you just tell me?"

"You needn't to realise for yourself. Otherwise you would have spent your whole life wondering what would have happened if you'd said yes," Hermione explained looking at Ginny in the mirror and smiling sadly.

The side of Ginny's mouth curled up slightly, "As usual you're right."

There was a long pause.

"Will there ever be anyone like him?" Ginny asked quietly.

"No, but there will be other's, you'll find someone Gin, I promise," Hermione replied smiling slightly.

Ginny bit her lip, "I have to go," she said. Hermione watched her go with a heavy heart. It was ironic, the weight that had left her shoulders clung her heart and settled there with a vengeance.

---Harry---

There was a knock on the door. Thinking it was Ron Harry said, "Come in," rather sharply.

"Harry."

Harry spun around at the soft voice and there he saw her. Ginny, dressed purely in white, her blue eyes shining with tears and a resigned smile on her face. She walked up to him and said quietly with her head bowed, "Harry, I don't want to marry you."

She held up the engagement ring.

"Don't you…don't you love me anymore?" Harry gazed at her in fear, did she hate him to?

Ginny laid her hands on his shoulders gently and said softly, "Harry I love you, but not enough to give my life to you."

Harry's eyes looked at her, confusion teetering on the edge of nothing, "What?"

"Harry you need someone who will love unconditionally and I can't give you that," Ginny explained, tears welling in her eyes.

"Why not?"

"Because Harry dear, I can only love someone fully, who loves me in return," she whispered as a tear slid down her cheek.

"But I do love you," Harry began to protest but was stopped by a soft finger on his lips.

"As a sister maybe, but Harry, the love I cradled for you in your absence was the love of the boy you were and I held on desperately to the longing feeling of wanting you and only you. But, you walked out of my life Harry and became a man without my help and Harry, you are not the man I love," she was crying openly now, but they were soft tears and in a way Harry felt that she was crying in his stead, doing something he felt too emotionally drained to do.

"We can make this work, I promise," Harry cried sadly.

"Harry darling, stop now, stop this charade."

For what Ginny felt was the first time the real Harry looked at her. The one he had been desperately trying to hide, she smiled.

"I will always love you Harry, as will Ron and Hermione, you've done great things and there have been consequences but none of them your fault. You cannot live two lives Harry, part of you wants to cling to the past and pretend it never happened and part of you wants to atone for crimes you didn't commit. The past is gone Harry, look forward."

Ginny turned Harry round to face the door, "Your future is waiting Harry. Don't let the past break you Harry, be the strong man I know you are and go."

Harry turned to look at her. She looked beautiful, her copper hair done up in a tasteful bun, curling ringlets hanging down and framing her face, fluttering butterfly clips in hair to hold back unwanted loose strands. Her pearly white dress glimmering hugging her waist and fanning out at her hips. A choker of pearls and the veil folded back behind a silver tiara. Her blue eyes, with tears leaking out of them looked up at him with hope.

"But you?"

"Will find my own future," Ginny finished for him smiling up at the dancing light in his green eyes.

Harry walked forward and crushed her to him, she returned the hug just as tightly burying her face in his chest and memorising the smell of the man that would never truly have been hers.

"Thank-you," he whispered into her and backed up, her hands fell into his and they stood like that for a moment before he nodded to her, dropped her hands, slipping the engagement ring off her finger as he turned. His hand took hold of the doorknob and his back straightened. His heart would heal in time and Ginny would forever regret that it had nothing to do with her, she had only been a catalyst but jealousy was not in her nature. She was shy at heart and would forever regret her missed chance but she would find her own happiness and be content in the knowledge that he was happy.

---Outside the door---

Severus stood there, a hand on Draco's shoulder and both looked up as Harry stepped out. Harry sighed and walked forward till he was right in front of them both, he held up the engagement ring for them both to see before pocketing it.

"Harry," Draco's voice quivered as the pale and still very skinny blonde reached out for the dark haired man.

It took only one more step and then Draco found himself enveloped in strong arms. He reached up and looped his arms around Harry's neck, bringing the shaking man's head down to rest on his shoulder. Severus watched them for a moment before a pair of shining bottle green eyes looked at him through stray tendrils of Draco's hair. A hand reached out for him and Severus stood uncertain.

He regretted that he had not had the strength to go to Draco himself and wondered perhaps if the blonde was better left in the care of the boy-who-lived altogether. He was drawn from his thoughts when both of his hands were taken by others and he looked up to see Draco holding his left hand and Harry his right. Harry had his other arm around Draco's shoulders and the blonde's arm was wrapped around Harry's waist.

A gentle tug from Harry brought the potion's master forward into the arms of the possessor of the most piercing green eyes that Severus had ever seen. Draco wrapped his arms around Harry from behind and gripped Severus' robes, enveloping Harry in a protective cocoon that no one would breach. They had each other now and words were irrelevant, they would fix each other and build on the remains a fragmented past that would become the framework for an empire of future happiness.

Ginny peaked at them from a crack in the door, tears of joy and sadness in her eyes. She sighed heavily and turned looking at herself in the mirror, "Well girl, what are you going to do with yourself now?" she asked her reflection.

Her reflection melted into another form, it was still herself but her hair was down, falling in ringlets over her shoulders, he icy eyes burning with a cold blue flame. She was wearing a strapless, short, tight black dress with a zip up the front and a belt hanging off one hip. Boots that laced up to her knees and elbow length, fingerless gloves.

"Steal the bastard back," her reflection told her with a smirk, "kill those other two and take back what is rightfully yours. You didn't spend years nursing your heart to love him to throw it away now do you."

Ginny frowned then raised her fist and smashed the mirror, seven years of bad luck be dammed, she would not let herself succumb to such horrid thoughts. There were better men than Harry in the world. But the idea remained in the back of her mind all the same.

_And so it stands that angels that have fallen from grace,_

_Those with wings of purest white stained with blood,_

_Those with bloodied wings blackened by hate,_

_May they be redeemed by the light of truth,_

_May love shine on them and be their beacon,_

_Their candle where darkness fear to read,_

_And their hope, when all other lights go out._

_And so, may blackened bloody wings turn white,_

_May redemption be their pillar and may they walk in light._

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**That's it...I didn't expect to end it this chapter, I was going to have another but instead it ends here. That's it, no sequel, no epilogue just a short poem that inspired this fic.**

**A BIG THANK YOU TO EVERYONE THAT REVIEWED THIS STORY AND AN EVEN BIGGER THANK-YOU TO EVERYONE WHO FOLLOWED IT ALL THE WAY THROUGH FROM THE START. :D**


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